Ive been watching the mini-series on the history channel last week and was wondering if anyone has read Ambrose's book of the same name.

Is the book worth a read?

Really like the mini-series, helluva good story with great characters, although its hard for me to belive that some of the scenes weren't "punched" up for TV. Especially things like 2 guys both having thier legs blown off at the same time. Part of the reason i'm considering the book is to see how accurate the series was.

I was surprised at how much made it through the History Channel censors. Especially given recent events. They did a pretty good job with keeping the show intact. My major compliant is the sound quality. There have been many times when I was unable to make out dialogue due to background noise, very annoying.

The TV serial is very, very close to the book (which is a serious piece of military history). However the serial goes further- expanding characters such as Eugene Roe (the Medic) who was barely mentioned in the book. Having said that, I think the book is excellent.

The incident where Toye and Guarnere both lose their legs was a true event at Bastogne.

The book is excellent, especially for it's continuance of the stories of the men into the post war period and what happened to them all. A few people I know griped and moaned about some aspects of the series, but generally it went down well :) I loved it :D

I picked up the book and readit after seeing the series. The series is indeed very close to the book. However, you are right that some spets were added for the plot; in the episode Bastogne (episode 7, or near that) Doc Eugene Roe, the medic is shown getting close to a nurse called Rèneè. In fact, Doc Roe was already married. However, the series was great. I have it on D.V.D. The later episodes, and the interview called We Stand alone Together made me cry unashamedly.

Especially things like 2 guys both having thier legs blown off at the same time.


It happened. It's a true story, you know. And besides, it showed the real Easy Company in a special following an episode of the miniseries. Both Toy and Guarnerre had one lag.:p

Originally posted by nonconformist
However, you are right that some spets were added for the plot; in the episode Bastogne (episode 7, or near that) Doc Eugene Roe, the medic is shown getting close to a nurse called Rèneè. In fact, Doc Roe was already married.

That nurse at the Bastogne aid station was a real-life character- I read of her in another account of the action.

Damn, i saw the Bastogne episode, it was seriousely intense, it was like, actually tough to watch, especially with that commanding officer who was starting to trip out and was becoming incompetent.

The other one that really got me was the one on last night where they discover the concentration camp. I know we've all seen the file footage but just the way they showed the AMericans' reaction when they first got in and were like "What the.... what is this place? Who are all these people, what went on here.... omfg......"

And not to mention how the Americans had to lock the Jews back up to protect tehm from themselves, lest they try to escape or eat too much and kill themselves from being starving and emaciated for so long. There was no action at all in the episode, but it was very heavy.

Originally posted by Kafka2
The incident where Toye and Guarnere both lose their legs was a true event at Bastogne.

Wow, hows that for bad luck. Its good to hear that the series stayed true to life without any embellishments. Kinda rare for a history based film/TV show.

Bastogne was definelty the most intense episode, but my favorite would have to be D-day.

Last night's final episode was pretty anticlimactic, but still good. Although it seemed odd that the German General's speech to his troops seemed to provide a closing for the series.

Just ordered the book on amazon and Im looking forward to it.

Kafka-I was not saying that the nurse was not a true character, I was saying there was nothing really between her and Roe.

The final two episodes touch me especially. The ninth one, for an obvious reason, but the tenth also.
To see the friendliness and the way the Americans treat the Germans, and the Germans treat the Americans is touching; they do not resent or hate one another, but chat happily. "This is my second war" says a german doing guard duty with Pvt. David K. Webster, shortly before Webster helps a crippled German into a car. The speech the German general gives brought tears to my eyes-he has surrendered, but does not think anything of it. Instead he explains how the troops have become like brothers to one another, and he wishes them long happy lives, not as an officer, but as a friend. It shows the Americans' initial ideas and thoughts about Germans to be out of place-they are just like the Americans, just in the German army. It shows the camaraderie, not only between Germans of opposing nationality, but the family like bonds, and the cameraderie between troops.

I just used the forum search option and got seventeen threads about "Band of Brothers".

Stefan, have you just discovered search? You seem to be using it a lot recently.

Originally posted by Stefan Haertel
I just used the forum search option and got seventeen threads about "Band of Brothers".

Great. We needed to know that. :rolleyes:

I never actually saw the series when it was on TV...It's on DVD now though, is it worth it? (I'm guessing yes...).

I'm just using it because I'm tired of new threads on the same topics with the same discussions popping up again and again and again.

I wonder how many threads would turn up if you did a search for "troll".

@pheonix - yeah, its worth it. if you like the genre, you'll like it.

if you are watching it on the history channel you are missing a little bit. they edit out some of the gore for cable. i read the book a couple of years ago...very good book, and i would recommend it even if you have been watching the miniseries.

I have seen Band of Brothers, but have never read the book would like too read it.

Band of Brothers and M*A*S*H, is the two greatest televison series about war ever. M*A*S*H may be the greatest tv show of all times.

And I always thought Hogans Heroes was the most accurate TV showon WW2 ever made. Band of Brothers was sweet though.

ahh i remember the good old days of watching hogan's heroes. i loved that show.

"HOOOOGAAN!!!"

"I know nothink!"